YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for April 29, 2013

Published: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 7:25 p.m.

Cowboys For Christ

As a local business owner I am often approached with requests from local charities for donations. It is often hard to choose who to help, and even harder to have to say no.

But last Friday night (April 19th) I was so glad that we were able to support Brother’s Keeper at their first annual dinner/fundraiser. The theme for the night was country/cowboy and all proceeds went to support the great work they do helping the poor and needy in our community.

I was proud that another local business — Adena Springs Ranch — donated the food for the dinner and provided the meat from two cows to help the Soup Kitchen. Two other small business owners that sat at my table this year were inspired by what they learned about Brother’s Keeper and the work they do. They both have even committed to sponsoring tables next year. I hope others will join us next year in supporting Brother’s Keeper as they continue to do God’s work — and enjoy a great meal and have a great time while doing it.

Kevin Theriault

Ocala

Disconnected

I attended the Feb. 19 Marion County Commission meeting with others anxious to see how the commissioners would vote on Amendment 11, passed by 61 percent, or 4.7 million, of Florida voters, and 61 percent of voters in Marion County. Amendment 11 authorized cities and counties to approve a property tax exemption for long-term, low-income seniors.

In my comments before the vote on Amendment 11, I noted that the commission was willing to approve a multimillion-dollar sum to pay for a new exit on Interstate 75 at Southwest 95th Street. The developer Rudnianyn family owns property on the west side of this proposed ramp. Its value would be tremendously enhanced by this ramp.

Its total exit cost has been estimated between $25 million and $30 million, which taxpayers are largely expected to pay. The Star-Banner reported in July that $1.2 million will be paid by the county this year alone for an environmental study.

The exit ramp is intensely opposed by local residents in the Shady area. It’s difficult to find anyone who thinks this is a good or necessary idea. Only developers, their paid consultants, and the commissioners seem to favor this expensive boondoggle.

Here’s another example of the wealthy and well-connected getting their way in Marion County. Commissioners gladly hand over taxpayer funds to subsidize their pet projects.

How can the commissioners compare what was done to the taxpayers of Marion County with their approval of the Rudnianyn exit to the decision to vote down, on a 3-2 vote, this tax exemption for qualified low-income seniors.

Low-income seniors seek a small exemption and are scorned and dismissed. That’s an injustice.

Nancy M. Noonan

Summerfield

Represent us

Do the right thing Marion County Commissioners Kathy Bryant, Carl Zalak and Stan McClain. Support Amendment 11, allowing low-income seniors a tax break on their property taxes. Represent the majority of your constituents who voted for Amendment 11 on the November ballots. If you truly believe in representative government, practice it.

Donnie Carolyn Goulard

Ocala

Pressure cooker society

In regards to the letter published on April 25 entitled “Pressure cooker ban?”, Let me get this straight, a pressure cooker is used in a crime for the first time in the U.S. (as far as I’ve ever heard) and now we need to ban them?

To the person who’s letter suggested banning the sale of pressure cookers, how about this scenario? Banning Islam.

Freedom of religion is something Americans take pride in. Islam is the source of so much death and destruction worldwide we need to seriously examine that practice within our boundaries.

Pressure cookers are not the problem. Using them in accordance with terror connected to a religious belief is a large problem.

Dean LoFaro

Ocala

Keep ’em out

Now let me get this straight. We have a president who refuses to secure our boarders, all four of them, and anyone can walk right in and cause all kinds of mayhem, including murder. He uses the legal system to thwart those who do attempt to secure our boarders.

Then this same president wants laws that would prevent law-abiding citizens from arming themselves to protect themselves from this mayhem. Then after the murders are committed, this same president travels around the USA telling the families of the murdered victims how much he is doing to find the murderers.

Wouldn’t it be simpler to keep them out in the first place?

Richard P. Mack

Dunnellon

A bomber’s future

Never am I more thankful to the liberal New England states for abolishing the death penalty. Just in time, too. Otherwise the Boston bomber might have had a reason to worry. Now, we’ll keep him alive, well fed and he’ll have a book deal, not to mention a movie coming out and maybe a CD release.

<p><b>Cowboys For Christ</b></p><p>As a local business owner I am often approached with requests from local charities for donations. It is often hard to choose who to help, and even harder to have to say no.</p><p>But last Friday night (April 19th) I was so glad that we were able to support Brother's Keeper at their first annual dinner/fundraiser. The theme for the night was country/cowboy and all proceeds went to support the great work they do helping the poor and needy in our community.</p><p>I was proud that another local business — Adena Springs Ranch — donated the food for the dinner and provided the meat from two cows to help the Soup Kitchen. Two other small business owners that sat at my table this year were inspired by what they learned about Brother's Keeper and the work they do. They both have even committed to sponsoring tables next year. I hope others will join us next year in supporting Brother's Keeper as they continue to do God's work — and enjoy a great meal and have a great time while doing it.</p><p><i>Kevin Theriault</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Disconnected</b></p><p>I attended the Feb. 19 Marion County Commission meeting with others anxious to see how the commissioners would vote on Amendment 11, passed by 61 percent, or 4.7 million, of Florida voters, and 61 percent of voters in Marion County. Amendment 11 authorized cities and counties to approve a property tax exemption for long-term, low-income seniors. </p><p>In my comments before the vote on Amendment 11, I noted that the commission was willing to approve a multimillion-dollar sum to pay for a new exit on Interstate 75 at Southwest 95th Street. The developer Rudnianyn family owns property on the west side of this proposed ramp. Its value would be tremendously enhanced by this ramp.</p><p>Its total exit cost has been estimated between $25 million and $30 million, which taxpayers are largely expected to pay. The Star-Banner reported in July that $1.2 million will be paid by the county this year alone for an environmental study.</p><p>The exit ramp is intensely opposed by local residents in the Shady area. It's difficult to find anyone who thinks this is a good or necessary idea. Only developers, their paid consultants, and the commissioners seem to favor this expensive boondoggle.</p><p>Here's another example of the wealthy and well-connected getting their way in Marion County. Commissioners gladly hand over taxpayer funds to subsidize their pet projects.</p><p>How can the commissioners compare what was done to the taxpayers of Marion County with their approval of the Rudnianyn exit to the decision to vote down, on a 3-2 vote, this tax exemption for qualified low-income seniors. </p><p>Low-income seniors seek a small exemption and are scorned and dismissed. That's an injustice.</p><p><i>Nancy M. Noonan</p><p>Summerfield</i></p><p><b>Represent us</b></p><p>Do the right thing Marion County Commissioners Kathy Bryant, Carl Zalak and Stan McClain. Support Amendment 11, allowing low-income seniors a tax break on their property taxes. Represent the majority of your constituents who voted for Amendment 11 on the November ballots. If you truly believe in representative government, practice it.</p><p><i>Donnie Carolyn Goulard</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Pressure cooker society</b></p><p>In regards to the letter published on April 25 entitled “Pressure cooker ban?”, Let me get this straight, a pressure cooker is used in a crime for the first time in the U.S. (as far as I've ever heard) and now we need to ban them?</p><p>Well, if we're going to start banning stuff that was used to commit a crime, we'll need to ban knives, cars, hot oil, gasoline, all guns, trucks, hammers, bricks, fertilizer, diesel fuel, backpacks, wires, timers, semis, iron frying pans, airplanes, tires, nail guns, lighters, propane tanks, all chemicals, bows and arrows, all sharp objects, chairs, anything heavy, anything hot ... need I go on?</p><p>Get a grip America!</p><p><i>Mike Reynolds</p><p>Silver Springs</i></p><p><b>Islamic terror</b></p><p>To the person who's letter suggested banning the sale of pressure cookers, how about this scenario? Banning Islam.</p><p>Freedom of religion is something Americans take pride in. Islam is the source of so much death and destruction worldwide we need to seriously examine that practice within our boundaries.</p><p>Pressure cookers are not the problem. Using them in accordance with terror connected to a religious belief is a large problem.</p><p><i>Dean LoFaro</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Keep 'em out</b></p><p>Now let me get this straight. We have a president who refuses to secure our boarders, all four of them, and anyone can walk right in and cause all kinds of mayhem, including murder. He uses the legal system to thwart those who do attempt to secure our boarders.</p><p>Then this same president wants laws that would prevent law-abiding citizens from arming themselves to protect themselves from this mayhem. Then after the murders are committed, this same president travels around the USA telling the families of the murdered victims how much he is doing to find the murderers.</p><p>Wouldn't it be simpler to keep them out in the first place?</p><p><i>Richard P. Mack</p><p>Dunnellon</i></p><p><b>A bomber's future</b></p><p>Never am I more thankful to the liberal New England states for abolishing the death penalty. Just in time, too. Otherwise the Boston bomber might have had a reason to worry. Now, we'll keep him alive, well fed and he'll have a book deal, not to mention a movie coming out and maybe a CD release.</p><p>Thank you liberals.</p><p><i>Timothy Paul Erhardt</p><p>Ocala</i></p>